F RI DAY, O C TO B ER 23, 2015
Planned Parenthood Villainized
Back to the (CHS) Future
Challenging Stereotypes
The Return of the Rowdy Rooters
FEATURES pages 6 & 7
OPINIONS page 4
VOLUME 57 NO. 2
Sports page 11
FLIPSIDE page 12
The Prospector
CHSPROSPECTOR.COM
Student Newspaper of Cupertino High School
10100 FINCH AVENUE, CUPERTINO, CA 95014
Yearbook leadership changes New yearbook advisor prompts changes in classroom dynamics
JASON MUNOZ
MAITHILEE KANTHI editor-in-chief
JASON MUNOZ photo editor
Following an advisor change, The Nugget staff made the transition from the business room to Room 105, prompting significant readjustment to the operations of Yearbook. For over a decade, Yearbook was housed in Room 314, the spacious business room, which allowed each staffer to have his or her own computer to design, write, and research. However, due to overwhelming time commitments, advisor Jen Townsend handed the reigns over to Carly Stavis in mid-May, 2015. Unsurprisingly, each advisor brings his or her own personal experience and style to the staff they helm. As an English teacher, Stavis has shifted the focus from just maintaining their awardwinning design to also improving their quality of writing. While in the past, advisors generally provided edits on an article’s final drafts, Stavis has made a habit of checking in with staffers more often and providing individualized feedback. “I bring knowledge of literature and writing, which I think is really useful in terms of copy [editing] because it’s hard to teach that stuff and really give critical feedback without a background in it,” Stavis said.
Additionally, the change in rooms has affected the flow of classroom operations as well. “[Last year] the editors were on one side of the room and the staffers were on another and so cliques just [formed],” said junior Alicia Lee, Editor-in-Chief of the Nugget.. “This year, since we’re in an actual classroom and the computers have to stay so close to the regular staffers, [there are] a lot more interactions going on.”
Since we’re in an actual classroom and the computers stay so close to the regular staffers, [there is] a lot more interaction going on. - Yearbook Editor-in-Chief Alicia Lee While the more intimate environment offers staffers the opportunity to form a strong team bond, the lack of computers poses a challenge as well. In previous years, staffers, in groups of two or three, collaborated on photos, design, and content. A majority of a staffer’s work, therefore, required unrestricted access to his or her own computer, which was stocked with all the software necessary to create a yearbook. In contrast, the new Yearbook room
currently only has six iMacs lining the back of the classroom, reserved only for editors. “We try to leave those computers available in case anyone ever needs to use them,” said Senior Anisa Chaudry, the photo editor. “We sometimes use chromebooks, but we can’t design on those, so the staffers haven’t had much practice in using the design skills we taught them.” However, Stavis has requested the use of individual laptops for her staff, which will arrive in the near future, allowing each staffer access to his or her own laptop with which they will create their spreads. Until then, regular staffers are responsible for writing the articles while editors are in charge of designing the spreads. In the meantime, Lee is focused on improving the content that staffers produce and preparing them for the design they are inevitably going to be asked to make. Said Lee, “We’re trying to schedule trips to Ms. Townsend’s room so the whole staff could actually learn design because they’ll need it when we get laptops in the class. Despite the difficulties brought on by the lack of computers for the staff, Lee notes that the quality of the yearbook will not suffer because both Stavis and the editors are committed to bringing fresh perspectives to the traditional format of the book. Said Stavis, “I brought an openness and a willingness to try new
Yearbook changes, continued on page 2
United Nations unveils agenda for sustainable development ETHAN QI photo assjstant
ALEX SHIEH online assistant
On Sept. 25, 2015, the General Assembly formally adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with the intention of amending the shortcomings of the previous goals, with a focus on the root cause of problems, an emphasis on climate change, and a pledge to leave no one behind. Over two years of intensive public discussions and engagement with civil societies around the world have yielded an Agenda which consists of 17 global goals and 169 targets for the next 15 years. These goals are focused on resolving global issues such as extreme poverty, inequality, injustice, and sustainable development in its three dimensions – the economy, society, and environment. The sustainable goals consist of zero hunger, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption and production, climate action, peace and justice strong institutions, and many others.
Despite the Sustainable Goals’ potential and symbolic significance, many find the Goals to be too broad and unattainable to serve any tangible purpose. Said Junior Anshul Rajwanshi, “[I think] the Sustainable Goals are divergent in the fact that they are very good as an overarching premise of what the UN should do, but they’re also very exhausted. [However,] I feel like they don’t actually accomplish much since they don’t call for any action.” Still, some people believe that the goals are necessary. Explained U.N. Club advisor Jacob Douglas, “Having them is better than not having them, but what would be even better than that is having more goals that are measurable, specific, [and] result based, so that we can really measure how much progress we’re making.” In 2000, the United Nations General Assembly created the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which rallied the world to fight against poverty and featured a 15-year agenda. Yet, 15 years later, to this day, widespread poverty still re
UN development goals, continued on page 2
COURTESY OF CTBTO PHOTOSTREAM
SECRETARY GENERAL | United Nations Secretary General
Ban-Ki Moon describes the development goals as “a promise by leaders to all people everywhere. It is an agenda for people, to end poverty in all its forms –– an agenda for the planet, our common home.” Moon is a graduate of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government COURTESY OF YERPO AND WIKIMEDIA COMMONS